NEXT EVENTS:
“Madrigals, Motets, and Merriment!” - NAVE joins with The Four Winds recorder quartet for a program of sprightly renaissance musical delights.
Saturday, June 1 at 7:30 pm at St. Peter’s Church (Plattsburgh)
Sunday, June 2 at 7:30 pm at St. Bernard’s Church (Saranac Lake)
Admission $10 at the door. More info: 518-293-7613 / hillholl@hughes.net
RECENT EVENTS:
December 21-23, 2012: A Festival of Lessons and Carols, “The Quintessential Sound of Christmas”- anthems, carols, & hymns with participation of community readers and congregational singing. Andrew Benware, conductor; Karen Robards, organ. Three concerts held at Notre Dame Church (Malone, NY), St. Peter’s Church (Plattsburgh, NY), and St. Agnes Church (Lake Placid, NY)
July 8, 2012: Guest appearance with the Lake Placid Sinfonietta conducted by Ron Spigelman. Gala opening concert: The Magic of Mozart at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts.
The Northern Adirondack Vocal Ensemble (NAVE), conducted by Andrew Benware, is a mixed chamber choir of professional and amateur singers, all of whom bring extensive previous choral experience to the group. Twenty members represent a cross-section of the region, hailing from points in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties.
NAVE is distinct from other choral groups in our region. As a chamber choir it aims to be a small and balanced ensemble of between 18 and 24 voices – SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), capable of singing in four-to-eight-part harmonies. Essentially an a cappella choir, it will focus on a rich and historical repertoire composed specifically for chamber choir. That is to say it will not generally venture into the territory of larger choral societies to perform major oratorios with full-size orchestra, but that it might occasionally collaborate with smaller instrumental ensembles, in keeping with the original mission of Hill and Hollow Music as a presenter of chamber music.
NAVE made an auspicious debut in December 2011 with a program of Lessons & Carols. Following the customary format of short Bible readings with anthems, carols, and hymns liberally interspersed throughout to illustrate the narrative musically, the a cappella version included well-loved traditional carols “In Dulci Jubilo,” “Wexford Carol,” “Gabriel’s Message” (respectively German, Irish, and Basque), as well as several contemporary works by British composer John Rutter: “Nativity Carol,” “There is a Flower,” “Jesus Child,” and “Star Carol.” Also of interest were Boris Ord’s setting of the 15th-century text “Adam Lay Ybounden,” Harold Darke’s setting of Christina Rossetti’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” (both English composers active in the mid-20th century), and the renaissance masterpiece “O Magnum Mysterium” by Tomas Luis de Victoria.
Community members read the texts while audience joined with choir in congregational singing of familiar Advent and Christmas hymns accompanied by the mighty organ. Over 300 attended each performance at St. Peter’s Church in Plattsburgh and St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid – a terrific turnout!
